Reality Is A Monster
by MashPotatoeSquishBanana
Summary: "The harsh, cold reality of the situation struck me- he was gone. Forever, this time." Annabeth struggles to believe that this time, Luke isn't coming back. Can Percy help her regain her footing? Start over fresh? Will Annabeth accept his love? Or will she forever mourn Luke?


**I got this idea while writing another one of my stories, Fall For You, Baby, which is TLO in Annabeth's POV. Please enjoy.**

**Title: Reality Is A Monster  
Main Characters: Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase  
Status: Post Titan War, pre HOO**

Even as I stared down at his charred, broken corpse, it didn't really strike me that he was dead, gone forever, until his green and white shroud was burning in Hestia's own hearth, his remains going up in smoke. Tears coursed their way down my dirt- smudged face.

At one point, I tried to run to the roaring fire and pull his body out of the blazing flames; I was in a crazy fit of insanity, convinced that he was still somehow alive, in agony, pleading with me to save him.

Only Percy could restrain me. His touch soothed me, and I collapsed, sobbing, against his chest. It comforted me to know that his cheeks were wet as well. That even the Saviour of Olympus wasn't completely void of feeling. That he wasn't afraid to show his emotional vulnerability.

The mournful ceremony ended. Percy held my hand in the elevator, and it wasn't awkward at all. Thalia, on her hastily assembled crutches, and Grover and Nico observed us silently. All three of them shared the same traits as me and Percy: bloodshot eyes, and runny, red noses. An occasional sniff, or a hiccup pierced the sorrowful silence.

Back at camp, we were all recovering and recuperating from the war in some way: either physically; many campers were nursing wounds and injuries, mentally; there were a couple of campers who had acquired cases of extreme trauma, and were awaiting the aid of Mr D, also known as Dionysus, who excelled in curing mental issues, and emotionally; namely, me.

Losing Luke, who had played a massive role in my life, was by far the biggest blow to my poor, battered heart which had suffered through so much already. I could only be thankful that Percy had decided to stay with me on earth.

It only really hit me that the war was over in the early afternoon. The prophecy had come true right on schedule. But that also meant… Percy was sixteen today.

I found it hard to believe that the scrawny, rebellious, impulsive little weakling I had met almost five years ago had become this mature, wise, strong… man.

Not to mention cute. And sweet. And kind. And insanely loyal. And just so loveable that you can't blame me for thinking- ahem.

What was I doing, thinking about _Percy, _when Luke had just died. Like, _this morning. _

Sure, big relief, the war with Kronos was over, and we had won. But the sacrifice was just as huge as the war itself. Nemesis must have really, _really _wanted revenge on someone.

I blinked back tears for the fifty- somethingth time that day. No good to cry over something that can't be changed. Waste of time to dwell on things like a death, when the person betrayed and hurt and stuffed you around so many bloody times you lost count.

I stared at the horizon, just remembering, when an idea struck me. It was Percy's birthday. He had been through so much trauma on a day that was supposed to be a celebration.

And, yeah, we won the war. But the price had been so high…

I walked to the Big House, my feet dragging. I stomped over the wooden porch and asked the hundred eyed Head of Security Argus permission to enter. He nodded, silently appraising me. I saluted him, then pulled the heavy oak doors open.

I followed the corridor, looking for a particular room.

I had a brilliant idea. And I was going to make it work.

* * *

Cooking wasn't my strong point, and the kitchen certainly wasn't my domain. But I shrugged the feeling of being out of place off my shoulders and began to confer telepathically with the magical Hephaestus 5012 futuristic fridge for about a minute, asking if it could muster up the ingredients: butter, flour, milk, two eggs, sugar, blue food colouring, a cup of water, half a cup of olive oil, a baking tray and baking paper for- I dug through my pockets and my fingers came into contact with a couple of coins- for three golden drachmas.

The fridge complied enthusiastically. It rarely got such a challenge, as the harpies prepared most of the camp's food, and besides. Three golden drachmas? Score.

I exited the Big House and made for the lake, using my last golden drachma to contact an old friend of mine.

"Hey, Tyson," I said when we were connected. Somehow I wasn't surprised to see the Cyclops chowing down on a plate of about fifty peanut butter sandwiches, shoving them in one after the other.

An image of this same Cyclops flashed through my mind. He was thirty feet tall, wielding a long chain, whipping a terrifying ancient Greek monster into a whirlpool that was a one- way trip back to Tartarus.

Oh, no. The tears were back again. How could Tyson return to being this childish, peanut butter loving Cyclops after what he'd been through in the last twelve hours?

_'Because he hasn't lost anyone he loved dearly,' _a voice in my head whispered.

I shrugged it off. I had a job to do.

"Annabeth!" Tyson roared, dropping his sandwich and lunging at the mist image of me. I shook my head in disbelief. Did this kid ever grow up? I wasn't that amazing, was I?

"Yes, Tyson, it's Annabeth." I sighed.

Usually, I thought his cluelessness was endearing. Perhaps because it reminded me of Percy.

But right now, I was wound up and strung so high that what would normally be impatience would be rage.

I breathed deeply. Calm. Breathe. Calm. Tyson is only eight or so. He has a right to be a kid, even if he's just engaged in a war that has changed the course of human civilisation.

"What does Annabeth want?" Tyson asked so innocently that it made me want to cry again. In relief. He was just so cute. I was glad that this part of his character hadn't been destroyed in the war. He reminded me of myself when I had thought that Luke was God in human form. Naïve. Innocent. Wise, but still only a cute kid that people don't acknowledge as you would a grown up.

"Tyson, how do you feel about baking a cake?" I asked, trying to muster some enthusiasm for my little project. It will be worth it tonight, I promised myself.

Tonight will mean something. I'm sure of it. For better or for worse, something in my life would be altered.

I could only hope that it was for the better.

* * *

The cake was baked successfully. Tyson had only managed to start one fire. I'm not sure that the Hephaestus 5012 fridge would be quite so eager to engage and encourage my cooking sessions anymore, though I don't blame it, after Tyson managed to snag all the peanut butter without even paying.

So, my day started with my long- time crush sacrificing himself to kill the evil Titan lord that was using his body as a temporary home and me realizing that Luke wasn't the only guy in the world that made my heart race.

My day ended with me baking a cake for my _other _long- time crush and us _finally_, after so many years of belated frustration, kissing.

As I had approached Percy, sitting all alone at his table in the mess hall pavilion, a huge, blue, misshapen cupcake in my hands, my heart had sped up, encouraging me to go on, sit down, talk to him and finally confess my feelings.

My head, on the other hand, was advising me to proceed with caution from here. If I had read Percy's emotions wrong, if I said what was on my mind, and he turned out liking Rachel better, it could ruin our easy going friendship and possibly shatter my heart into a million pieces, as well as the soreness of rejection rubbing my chafing from Luke's death. Ouch.

I decided to listen to my heart, go out on a limb. I slid onto the seat next to him. And when he turned around and met my steady gaze, the joy and surprise mingled with hesitant hope in his beautiful sea green eyes answered my silent question. My heart jumped with ecstasy.

I had loved Luke ever since I had first laid my eyes on him. Even as I looked at Percy, and admitted my feelings for him, even then I still love Luke. I will always love Luke. But we were never meant to be.

I love Luke. I am in love with Percy. Luke is of the past. Tonight, I will start over.

I will never forget the beautiful boy with sky blue eyes nd white- blond hair.

But the black haired, green eyed boy has offered his undying loyalty and unfaltering love. I accept.

**So, what did you think? Please tell me your opinion. Thanks for reading.**

**MashPotatoeSquishBanana**


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